Art is a Verb: Alfred P. Maurice

September 19 - December 9, 2011

Timeline(3rd Floor)

Identity

The 2011-2012 Hamersly Library exhibits theme is Identity. The exhibits featured this year will explore the components that affect the choices that compose our identity. Our individual experiences, the communities we live in, and our culture all play a significant role in our establishing our identity.

The fall exhibit, Art is a Verb, will explore the uniqueness in individual identity by examining the life of Alfred P. Maurice.

Alfred P. Maurice

Born 1921 in Nashua, New Hampshire, Alfred P. Maurice started his art career at the age of 17 painting murals through the National Youth Administration. He studied at the University of New Hampshire for two years before continuing his art career as an illustrator and draftsman during WWII.

In 1946 after serving in the U.S. Army, Mr. Maurice continued his undergraduate and graduate studies at Michigan State University under the GI bill. During this time he free-lanced as a graphic designer for the Michigan Farm Bureau and other commercial clients.

For the next 30 plus years, Mr. Maurice taught art and served as an academic administrator. During these years he created drawings, paintings, and prints, featured in local, national and international exhibitions. He also was the director at the Kalamazoo Art Center where he developed a community art program and administrated the building of the art center.

After his retirement from the academic world, Mr. Maurice relocated to the Pacific Northwest in 1989. He continued to teach in the community and Clark College as well as produce paintings, prints, photography and drawings. There he continued to use art as the creative tool to solve problems, open opportunities and join communities together.

Even now, Mr. Maurice keeps his hand in the arts by encouraging students to think outside the box through two scholarships at Western Oregon University and the University of Illinois at Chicago. These scholarships are awarded on creativity and encourage combining disciplines to solve personal issues of any kind; stretching their learning out of the classroom.

Acknowledgements

This exhibit was not completed alone, but by the hard work of many. Special thanks go to:

The Cannon Gallery of Art for providing the postcard publicity and support of the opening reception

And, of course, Mr. Alfred P. Maurice for providing subject matter and an excellent example of the Personal Identity

Donors

This exhibit and others are sponsored in part by private donations. If you would like to contribute to the Exhibits Program at Hamersly Library contact Jerrie Lee Parpart,
503-838-8886, parparj@wou.edu